Static eliminator



June 8, 1937. J. SIMONS STATIC ELIMINATOR Filed June 25, 1934 INVIIENTOR 72; Z1 as 151 m d WW - TTORNEY Patented June 8, 1937 UNlTEB FfiiliNi QFFICE 5 Claims.

The object of the invention is broadly to provide improvements in static eliminators, but more especially in that type which is particularly adapted for use in mimeographing machines, printing presses, textile machines, etc. and illustrated in one form in United States Letters Patent No. 1,903,840, issued to me April 18th, 1933.

Another object is more specifically to provide in combination with a static eliminator condenser unit, means to confine and conduct portions of the discharge from such unit independently to predetermined remote localities, thereby making it possible for the discharge to function in any one or more of an infinite number of regions, which may at times be spaced apart and which are frequently inaccessibly located, or are in spaces too limited to receive the unit itself.

A further object is to provide an improved and much simplified form of condenser unit, in which the core may comprise merely a wooden dowel or other suitable, elongated and preferably relatively slender, insulative supporting element, in combination with a sleeve of metallic foil or the like about such element, a series of spaced sub stantially cylindrical, condenser members surrounding said sleeve, means to insulate said members from said sleeve, and means to lead the dis charge laterally away from each of such members independently of one another.

Still another object is to provide a construction, such as is set forth in the foregoing paragraph, but in which the discharge leads are of relatively considerable length, and may comprise individually insulated wires extending thru a common tube or cable, beyond which said wires again separate and terminate either singly or in pluralities at any desired one or more locations, wherever it may be desired to extract or otherwise eliminate a static charge from a moving or movable object.

With these objects in mind, the invention comprises further details of construction and operation, which are hereinafter fully brought out when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the arrangement of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates the method by which this device is adapted for use in operative association with a mimeograph or similar machine, which is characterised by relatively limited internal spaces;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a condenser unit with its leads operatively spaced apart by means of a cord or the like, as in a textile machine;

Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views showingthe adaptation of the device to travelling webs of widely different widths; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of the condenser unit per se.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the condenser unit i hereinafter described in detail is shown as having a lead 2, which connects directly with the secondary of a suitable transformer (not shown), and is provided also with elongated discharge leads 3, which may be led away from said unit to any desired locality, and held and supported in predetermined spafced relation by means of a suitable rod 4 or the like, beyond which the end portions 5 of said leads terminate in proximity to the movable paper web 8, belt, or any other article,- or device, from which the apparatus is designed to eliminate static charge of electricity.

Referring specifically to Fig. 2*, the intermediate portions of the discharge leads 3 may be carried thru a tube or cable I, both in order to protect said leads from extraneous influence, to minimize the lateral discharge of static electricity from them, and to enable them to be conducted in a feasible manner into or thru a given piece of apparatus, such as thru the bore 8 of a bushing ii, positioned within an aperture H1 in a wall of a casing or other portion of a mimeograph or other type of machine or mechanism ii. In this illustration, it will be understood that the condenser unit I is shown relatively small, whereas in practice it is much larger than illustrated when compared with the fragmentary portion of the machine 1 i.

As a result, the available space within such machine is frequently insufficient to accommodate the condenser unit, which must therefore be positioned upon the exterior of said machine, while by the present improved construction it is possible to conduct such discharge leads toward any one or more of a plurality of desired regions within said machine, from which it is desired to eliminate a static charge. Furthermore, the fragmentary portion of the machine II is intended as being merely symbolic of any of the infinite number of machines or devices, with which the improved static eliminator may be operatively associated and efficiently used.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is here shown a transformer lead l2, passing into a supporting tube, or rod l3, which latter is surrounded by longitudinally spaced condenser elements I 4. Each of said elements is provided with a single free terminal I5, to which is connected a discharge lead l6 of any desired length, and frequently of considerable extent as well as being carried when desired thru an insulated tube or cable (not shown), as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in Fig. 2. In this instance (Fig. 3), however, it is assumed that the device is used in association with textile or similar machines, and instead of using a supporting rod it has been found suflicient to attach the end portions ll of the leads I6 to a thread or cord I8 under moderate tension, beyond which said leads end either in a single point or in brush-like discharge terminals l9, which latter are designed to be positioned adjacent to the surface or surfaces from which it is desired to eliminate the static charge.

Referring to Fig. 4, the unit I is provided with any desired number of elongated discharge leads 20, which may be supported by non-conducting cords or the like 2 I, which in turn are supported by or from any neighboring fixed objects 22, or portions of the machine or the like, and beyond which supports the leads end in single or brushlike terminals 23, adjacent to the belt, web, or other movable member 24, which here is shown diagrammatically as passing over schematically arranged rollers or guides 25. Again, referring to Fig. 5, the condenser unit I is shown as being provided with independent groups 26 of elongated discharge leads, each of said groups being bound together, as by means of independent cables or the like 21, from the free end portions of which end portions 28 of each group extend and are operatively positioned with respect to the travelling belt, web, or the like 23, passing over rollers or guides 30.

Referring finally to Fig. 6, there is here shown a specific form of construction for the condenser unit I, which has been found to be highly efficient and yet relatively inexpensive to manufacture. This unit comprises a central core, or the like 3|, which may comprise standard of this core is Wrapped a sleeve 32 of foil, or is positioned any suitable form of metal tube, which in either case is connected by a suitable lead 33 to the wire 34 or the like, which in turn comprises a lead from the secondary winding of a suitable transformer.

Specifically, the lead 33 preferably contacts with an extension 35 of a metallic ferrule 36, which in turn surrounds and binds against and in electrical contact with one end portion of the metallic foil or sleeve 32. Over said foil or sleeve, said ferrule, and over at least portions of the ends of the core 3| is wound or otherwise placed a cylindrical insulating medium 31, which may comprise varnished cambric or other suitable substance, the end portions of this covering then being protected if desired by any desired form of tubular members 38, by means of which the unit is operatively supported by or in operative relation with respect to a given machine or other suitable supporting element.

metallic Intermediate said members and surrounding the said varnished cambric or other form of insulative covering for said foil or sleeve 32, are positioned spaced condenser elements 39, which it is found must be relatively inexpensive and efliciently formed of several convolutions of bare Wire, one end 40 of each of which extends laterally away from its respective element and may be of any desired length, as suggested in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, altho said leads are shown in Fig. 6 as being of relatively short length and provided with pointed terminals 4|.

Thus, the two. inventions here described and illustrated and hereinafter claimed, comprise in the first instance a new and improved condenser unit, such as that shown in one embodiment of Fig. 6, and in the second place an improved construction and method by which the electric discharge from the condenser elements 39 may be carried to relatively remote, frequently widely spaced, and ofttime inaccessible regions, for the elimination of static charges from the particular localities desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A condenser unit operative to produce static discharges, comprising a solid supporting core, a metallic sleeve carried by said core, a lead extending from said sleeve and through the solid end of said core, a cylindrical member surrounding and insulated from said sleeve, and a lead extending radially outwardly from said member.

2. A condenser unit operative to produce static discharges, comprising a solid supporting core, a metallic sleeve carried by said core, a closely Wound cylindrical wire member surrounding and insulated from said sleeve, and a lead extending freely from and comprising one end of the wire of said member.

3. A condenser unit operative to produce static discharges, comprising a supporting core, a metallic sleeve carried by said core, a plurality of spaced closely wound cylindrical wire members surrounding and insulated from said sleeve, and independent leads extending freely from and comprising one end of the wire of said members and adapted to be led towards a relatively remote region.

4. A condenser unit operative to produce static discharges, comprising a supporting core, a metallic sleeve carried by said core, a plurality of spaced helices forming independent cylindrical members surrounding and insulated from said sleeve, and independent discharge leads extending freely from said members and adapted to be led towards a relatively remote region.

5. A condenser unit operative to produce static discharges, comprising a supporting core, a metallic sleeve carried by said core, a plurality of spaced bare-wire helices forming independent cylindrical members surrounding said sleeve, a layer of insulating material separating said members from said sleeve, and independent discharge leads extending freely from said members and adapted to be led towards relatively remote spaced regions.

JULIUS SIMONS. 

